Paste tube cap



May 16, 1933.

R. T. HUBBELL PASTE TUBE CAP Filed Nov. 25, 1931 Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED 4STATES RICHARD T. HUBBELL, OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA PASTE TUBE CAP Application led November 25, 1931. Serial No.` 577,335.

This invention relates to dispensing tubes and pertains particularly to. an improved cap for the same.

The primary object of the present inven- 5 tion is to provide a novel paste tube cap which will dispense the paste forced from the tube to which it is attached, in the form of a flat ribbon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap which will dispense paste in the form of a flat ribbon and which is of a character to close the discharge opening and prevent the leakage of paste therefrom when pressure upon the tube is released.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cap of the above described character which may form a permanent part of a collapsible dispensing tube or may be applied thereto in substitution for the usual threaded cap with which the tubes come equipped.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modied so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention .as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure l is a view in side elevation of the upper part of a paste tube showing the device embodying the' present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the. present device and a portion of the tube to which it is attached;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the device showing the cap removed;

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of the upper part of a tube showing the device embodying the present inventlon forming a .permanent part thereof;

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the seve-ral views, the numeral '1 indicates a portion of a paste tube of the character in which the tooth paste is held and havinga threaded outlet nozzle 2 on which is normally secured a cap (not shown).

The cap device embodying the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 3 and as shown this comprises a tubular body 4 which at one end is interiorly threaded as at 5 for the reception of the threaded noz- 65 zle 2 for detachable connection therewith. This form of the invention is designed as will be readily seen, for substitution for the cap which closes the nozzle 2 when the tube is purchased.

' The body'of the discharge tube 4 is of rectangular cross sectional design at its free end and the free end is cut obliquely and substantially closed by the end wall 5', this wall terminating at one edge short of and parallel with the straight edge of the tube which is otherwise removed from the other end, thus forming the elongated slot 6 which extends transversely of the tube body. This end edge of the tube body 4 which is dis- 80 posedl adjacent and parallel to the free edge of the end wall 5 will hereinafter be referred to as the high edge of the tube body to distinguish it from the side edges and the back or lower edge which is closest to the othei 85 end of the body.

Secured in any suitable manner to the body of the tube 4 to extend longitudinally thereof, is a spring steel arm 7 which terminates adjacent the low forward edge of the discharge tube body and which carries the' cap plate 8 which is secured thereto to extend at an oblique angle to the same, which angle corresponds to the angle at which the end wall 5 of the discharge tube body is dis osed 95 so that this plate lies across and is rmly retained in position upon the end of the discharge tube body in the manner shown.

In` addition this plate 8 is of sufficient length to extend beyond the high edge of the discharge tube body and thus overlie and close the paste outlet slot 6.

The longitudinal edges of the plate 8 carry the angularly directed downwardly ex- 5 tending wings 9 which lie snugly against the flat sides of the body 4 and thus serve to prevent the leakage of paste from beneath the sides of the plate.

Preferably the spring arm-7 is integrally 10 formed at one end with bowed clip members 10, which embrace the body of the tube 4, the latter being preferably cut away to receive these clip members, as best .illustrated in n Figure 6 there isillustrated a modified form of the structure just described, which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 11 and wherein the tubular dispensing tube instead of being detachably connected with the tube 12, forms an integral extension thereof the same as does the nozzle 2 of the paste tube above referred to. In this form it will, of course, be understood that the paste tube comes equipped with the outlet tube 11 and the spring controlled shut-olf plate which is here indicated by the numeral 13 may constitute a separate unit which can be applied when the paste tube is placed inuse. From the foregoing description it will be readily apparent that when the paste tube is compressed the paste therein w1l1 be forced through the outlet or discharge tube and will emerge from the discharge slot and from under the cap plate 8 in the formof a fiat ribbon, the side wings of the cap late preing longitudinally along the shorter side wall thereof, said spring arm being formed with an angularly disposed cap p ate normally lying over the obli ue end wall of the 1y closing the slot disposed outer end wall formed at its high end with a slot, and a spring arm provided at one end with integral cl1p members designed to embrace the inner end of the discharge tube, said spring arm extending longitudinally along th'e shorter side wall of` the discharge tube and provided with an an.- gularly disposed cover plate adapted normally to lie against the said inclined end wall and extend normally over said slot,.said cover plate being formed with side win s adapted normally to embrace the side wal s of the tube. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

- RICHARD T. HUBBELL.

venting the paste spreading and lea 'ng over I the sides of the discharge tube.

.In practice, the spring arm which main- 40 talns the cap plate in position across the end of the discharge tube should be of sufficient strength to hold the plate firmly against the end of the tube so that when pressure upon the tube is released any remaining paste will be squeezed out by the pressure in the cap so that it will lie closely over the discharge outlet and thus prevent the air from getting to the paste to dry out the same and also preventlng dust from reaching the paste. While the plate should be firmly pressed upon the end of the outlet tube to accomplish this, it is, of course, apparent that the ressure should not be so great as to mage it diicult to force the paste out of the outlet opening. It will thus be seen that the tension of the cap holding spring must be nicely adjusted to make the operation of the evice satisfactory.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A discharge tube for collapsible paste tubes, Said discharge tube being formed with an obliquely disposed outer end wall provided with a slot, and a spring arm secured 65 to one end of the discharge tube and extend- 

